Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1887-12-01
FIRE AND DROUGHT.

Destructive Foreae Fires In Arkansas-A
sSolefuA Story From Illinois aud Other
States.
MExPH;s, Tenn, Nov. 2a--Forcst fires
continue to rage in this se.tiOn and the
damage sustained 10 becoming serious.
Several gin houses in Crittenden County,
Ark, and in the counties Of Mississippi
which border the river have been burned,
but it is impossible TO gather definite
details Of the loss, it being SO wide
spread that an estimate can not be given.
Steamers can not run Mt night owing to the
dense smoke which prevails from Vicks-
Memphis total distance Of G55 miles.
Fires are burning everywhere within this
territory and there Is no immediate pros
pect OF RAIN. Travel by rail is absolutely
INSTRUCTED from these causes Sew
oral trestles on the, Kansas City road
have been destroyed and communi-
cation with St. Louis is now made via For
rest City, Ark. Never before in the his
tory Of the country have there been such
widespread CONGREGATIONS and the loss to
farmers will be very heavy. The wind
storm which prevailed Saturday and Satur-
day night must have been destructive to
many dwellings and outhouses Of planters,
especially in the counties to the west Of
Memphis in Arkansas. but owing to the So
cluded country and the lack Of telegraph
facilities it will be several days before tho
true condition of affairs is learned. The
same reports come from every quarter Of
fires and the loss that is being sustained.
The only escape that is promised will come
from rain, and in nearly ali the churches
prayers were offered Sunday that showers
might fall and tie destruction cease.
TERRIBLE REPORTS.
CAIRO, ILL.,, Nov. 2.-Hoping against
hope for twelve months past, the people Of
this district for 100 miles in every direc-
ton have at last settled down to brood in
despair. No rain. No rain. and now comes
upon them the first cold wave from the
north, giving sad warning that winter will
soon clasp them in his icy embrace. Every
stream, water course and almost every
well and spring are dry. Never i'll the
memory OF man has the Ohio river been
at SO low stage, while navigation has
long since been entirely suspended be-
tween Cairo and Paducah. TO add to tho
poverty and distress contingent upon so
long drought there now threatens another
most alarming disaster that Of forest fires.
South of here, for forty miles in Missouri,
east into Kentucky and Tennessee and
north nearly 100 miles in Illinois, the dense
forests are one solid sheet of flame. Farm
ers are fleeing from their homes. VIVA.
little grain they saved from their summers
work, houses, oarns and miles of fences are
destroyed. The forests are all ablaze, the
earth burned to crisp, and the streams
dried up, leaving them without any feed
whatever for stock. If rain does not
come, and in abundance, this week,
thousands Of these people will neces-
sarily become paupers. A report came
yesterday that party OF hunters
from Central Illinois, twenty-five in num-
Der, had been surrounded by fire in Mig
gerwood Swamp" thirty miles from here,
in Missouri, and probably were all burned
up. At least, a citizen who had hired the
party some dogs says the dogs came home
last Saturday with their hair all burned
of, and that none of the gentlemen had yet
been heard from Numerous instances of
loss of life are hourly being reported as
having occurred by forest fires in Missouri,
Kentucky and Illinois.